Commodore 64 relaunch still on track

First touted back in August last year, Commodore USA's efforts to build a PC inside the original case design of the Commodore 64 seemed to be on hiatus. That is, until new pictures emerged showing a prototype model with its bits and bobs out.

The prototype has been created using a plastic printer - a device that can build 3D objects from computer aided designs - and is currently in the process of having the internal workings inserted in order to guarantee that every PC part fits properly.

As Pocket-lint's previously reported, the final version will have 2GB of DDR3 RAM (expandable to 4GB), output 1080p HD video via HDMI, and feature new Cherry brand keys that "feel much better than the original".

An optical drive (with a Blu-ray option) will be present, plus multi-card reader and USB slots. Wi-Fi will come as standard, as well as DVI and VGA outputs.

With all of this, it could be labelled just a case mod, but that would be unfair. Commodore USA will be pre-loading the machine with a stack of 8-bit C64 titles, that can be played "by either selecting the C64 icon from the boot menu to run a C64 emulator directly, or from a media center program within our own Commodore Operating System." And as long as that includes Epyx' World Games (with caber tossing) then we'll be very happy indeed.

Our senior ed of news and features has been a tech and games journalist for more than 27 years, and has been with Pocket-lint for over five. Rik has edited a number of videogame magazines in the past, was deputy editor of Home Cinema Choice, and his TV career included stints as co-presenter of Channel 4's Gamesmaster and Sky One’s Games World.